


How To Eat Life

by FirstOrderPrincess



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 104th Training Corps Shenanigans, AOT character cameos, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute, Drama, Eren and Jean are frienemies, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fun, Hange Zoë Being Hange Zoë, Levi and Hange just being cute, Levi and his brats, M/M, Modern Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Other, POV Eren, POV Hange, POV Jean, POV Levi, Shit eventually hits the fan, Slow Burn, this actually has a plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:28:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26050420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FirstOrderPrincess/pseuds/FirstOrderPrincess
Summary: When Levi, Hange, and the 104th cadets get stranded on one of the most dangerous hikes in the world, their only hope of making it out alive is to work together. But with tensions running high, will they be able to set aside their animosity and help each other survive?
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Eren Yeager, Jean Kirstein/Eren Yeager, Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Levi/Hange Zoë, Mikasa Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman/Jean Kirstein
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31
Collections: Attack on Titan, Attack on Titan/Shingeki no Kyojin, Attack on titan





	1. Motivations Collide

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone!
> 
> I've read and been a fan of many fanfics on this site, but never actually written my own until now. So, this is my first ever attempt at writing any sort of fanfiction. 
> 
> A bit about myself: I'm 21 and just finished 3rd year of Mechanical engineering. I'm currently on a 16 month internship and will start 4th year next fall. I'm a fan of many things, most prominently Star Wars, Marvel, anything Disney, Game of Thrones, The Witcher, Sherlock, and Attack on Titan. So if you love of any of these, I'd love to fangirl over them with you:) I recently got into the Attack on Titan hype a few months back thanks to my brother who begged me to watch it. Became hooked within the first 5 minutes!
> 
> About this fanfic: This is a multiple POV modern AU fic. Fans of the Japanese artist Eve might recognize the title of the story. This fic was inspired by my passion for hiking and some personal experiences I've been through. With the whole pandemic going on, I haven't been doing much of that, so why not make some of my favorite characters have an adventure instead?
> 
> Feel free to drop comments, suggestions, questions, and criticism! The only way for me to improve is to be open to honest thoughts and opinions. This is just for fun, so if anything, I hope I can just make at least one of you that reads this smile. 
> 
> Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

_“I’m a backpacker, searching for something I’m missing._   
_I did it on an impulse.”_

**

“I can’t believe no one’s selling food!”

Jean threw Sasha a look and from the corner of his eye, he could see Connie doing the same.

“Sasha, it’s past midnight. There aren’t many flights scheduled at this hour so we’re pretty much the only ones here.” Connie spoke in a placating tone, hoping to calm the wide eyed brunette. “Besides,” he continued, “didn’t you have an entire bento all to yourself, like, two hours ago?”

Tears gathered beneath Sasha’s golden eyes as she gazed longingly at the dark and empty Burger King. Jean sighed, slung his towering pack over his shoulders and made his way toward a large screen further down the hall. The flight schedules were on display, and his eyes roved over the departures until he located the flight leaving from Honolulu to Lihue.

“The gate isn’t up yet. I think we’re too early,” he said when Sasha and Connie finally joined him.

“Of course you’re too early. The plane doesn’t depart till five thirty.”

The three friends spun around to find the inseparable duo, Ymir and Krista, making their way towards them. Jean was once again struck by how different the two girls were. Standing side by side, they mirrored each other like night and day. Ymir towered over the five foot Krista, and while the shorter girl was all pearly white skin, long strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes, the other was more tan, with short, shaggy brown hair and intimidating gray eyes. Their differences didn’t just stop at appearance. Jean hadn’t the faintest clue how they even got along.

“Krista! Ymir!” Sasha exclaimed, throwing herself at them. Ymir dodged the incoming hug while Krista remained where she was, embracing the other girl affectionately.

“I thought you guys were going clubbing all night,” Connie commented, arms crossed and eyebrows raised in question. “We were, but then Krista said she was still exhausted after the Haiku Stairs the other day. And with the Kalalau trail two days from now, I thought it would be best if we got here early and maybe tried to get some sleep before the flight.”

Sasha released Krista and looked back and forth between the two girls, eyes glittering expectantly. “You guys didn’t happen to stop for food on the way here by any chance?” They both shook their heads in unison. Sasha’s face fell, and she looked about ready to cry again, until Krista put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure we can find something.”

Sasha’s eyes lit up and with that, the two girls left in search for food. “Text me when you guys find some place to sleep,” Krista called back.

“What are you guys doing here so early anyway?” Ymir turned her attention to Jean and Connie. “Same as you. We wanted to get some sleep but didn’t want to spend money on a hostel for just a few hours,” Jean replied, adjusting the straps of his pack. His shoulders were getting sore from standing around with the fifty pound bag. “Let’s go find someplace to crash. Most of the gates are empty so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

Together, they made their way down the deserted hall. After passing several empty gates, they settled in a corner by the windows of the most secluded gate they could find. Jean released a loud sigh the moment he collapsed onto the benches, metal blessedly cool against his feverish skin. It felt amazing to finally sit down after a long day of touring the island. He observed Connie and Ymir having the same reaction as they threw their heavy packs by the windows and stretched out across the nearest row of seats.

“I just realized the three stooges are missing. Weren’t they with you guys before Krista and I left?” Ymir spoke through a yawn, putting away her phone and resting her head on her pack. Jean was in a similar position on the row just opposite. “They were, but then Eren mentioned something about mountain biking on some ridge trail. We didn’t feel like injuring ourselves before the upcoming hike so we split up. I left several calls and text messages when we got here, but still no word from either of them.” Jean could feel his eyelids growing heavier, until he finally closed them. “I don’t know if I should be worried.”

When there was no reply, he pried them open slightly to find Ymir with her eyes closed and mouth hanging open. “Well, they still have time.”

*****

When a blaring horn went off at two in the morning, Levi had a hunch about how his day was going to unfold. For starters, regardless of the fact that he was in bed by early evening, sleep continued to elude him as the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon shone through the window of his room on the twentieth floor of the Hale Koa hotel.

Groaning, Levi turned over and grabbed his phone off the nightstand, ripping it from the charging cable. One finger swiped across the screen, turning off the ear splitting alarm. The silence that followed brought back the continuous stream of thoughts that had prevented him from getting any sleep in the first place. Since yesterday’s spontaneous purchase of one, non-refundable, round trip ticket to Kauai, he had tried and failed to ignore the reasons behind this decision.

He swung his feet off the bed and made his way to the bathroom. After a shower and some clean clothes – a white, short sleeve button up with a pair of loose fitted black pants – Levi was in a significantly better mood. That only lasted for a brief moment however, because he was out of tea.

“Tch.”

He turned off the kettle and threw the empty box in the trash as he walked over to his packed bag on the couch. It was a black, heavy duty bag made with water-proof nylon, identical to the one he currently used as military captain. Pulling out his phone, he dialed a cab, and then triple checked that he had everything before stepping out of the room that had been his home for the past month.

The night was hot and humid when Levi stepped out of the hotel. He let the aromatic scent of the ocean fill his lungs as he took a deep breath. A breeze lifted still damp bangs out of his steel blue eyes, which were fixed on the yellow Ford waiting for him.

The short fifteen minute ride to the airport was one of the worst ride share experiences of his life. Not only were the seats absolutely disgusting - the driver wasn’t the least bit concerned about the stains on the seats, so Levi proceeded to wipe them with a fistfull of disinfectant wipes - but the blonde haired man was much too eager to share his entire life story.

“...I could barely look those kids in the eye after that. I was so ashamed of myself. How could I wear that uniform with pride after what I had done, or I guess what I failed to do? So I left and -”

The cab was still moving when Levi threw open the back door, nearly ripping it off its hinges. They had finally arrived at the airport. In his haste, he almost forgot to pay his fare. He left the cash on the seat before slamming the door and making his way through the automatic doors.  
Levi had made sure to check-in online the day before, so he headed straight for security. No way was he letting anyone assign his seat and risk the possibility of sitting anywhere near the bathrooms.

Levi paled at the thought, stepping up to the guard at the TSA pre-check. He was a tall man (everyone appeared tall to Levi), and he had to bend down slightly to grab Levi’s passport and boarding pass. The man’s eyes widened when he saw a particular passport stamp, then glanced at the chain around Levi’s neck.  
“Right this way captain. Have a nice flight.”

*****

The tropical humidity hung thickly in the early morning air. It made the wide-eyed brunette sweat more profusely in her current state of distress. Her short sleeve white blouse was nearly soaked through as she stood outside the Hale Koa Hotel.

Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Hange looked up and down the street with barely contained anxiety. Every car that passed made her heart jump, hopeful that she would see a flash of yellow that would signal the cab’s approach. She glanced down at her watch through foggy glasses, feeling another drop of sweat trickle down her forehead as ten minutes approached fifteen. She should be at the airport by now. It was four thirty in the morning and the plane left in exactly one hour. It was technically her fault, she knew. She shouldn’t have let Mike keep her up so late. But the man had a way to keep her talking for hours. Hange hadn’t seen him in months and she found herself deeply missing her best friend’s company.

A loud squeal escaped her lips and she waved her arms erratically as a yellow car rounded the corner, slowly coming into view. The cabby hadn’t come to a full stop before she was already pulling open the door and flinging herself into the passenger seat.

“About time! To the airport please.” She stuffed several bills into his hand. “I’ll pay the rest, with interest, if you can get me there in ten.”

It turned out that was the only incentive he needed to slam his foot on the gas, tires screeching on the pavement as the small Ford shot down the deserted road.  
Every curve was taken at full speed and she almost slammed her head into the window more than a couple times. They flew down the Lunalilo Freeway and after eight full minutes of some of the most erratic driving Hange had ever experienced, the cabby was slamming the brakes in front of Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.

Stomach in her throat, she pulled out another wad of cash as promised and stepped out on shaky legs. Bent over and hands on her knees, she fought to quell last night’s dinner from rising up her esophagus with deep breaths. Another glance at her watch was enough to keep the growing nausea down. Shouldering her towering 65 L Osprey Aura pack, she jogged to the entrance.

The automatic doors slid open, and the AC that greeted her nearly made her drop to the floor and cry in sheer gratitude. The airport was mostly empty, save for a few that, like her, were stuck with an early morning flight. She had spent at least an hour searching for a later departure with no luck. The flights leaving Honolulu for Lihue were all scheduled at this ungodly hour.

Hange rushed over to a check in kiosk and threw her pack to the floor. Whipping out a large wallet, she reached in to pull out her passport, only to have all of its contents slip through her fingers and onto the floor.

“Argh!”

She dropped to her knees, collecting all of the used gift cards and years expired credit cards along with her passport. Two minutes later and the machine was spitting out her boarding pass.

Hange raced to security, breathing out a sigh of relief when she spotted only two other people in line. Thank goodness for small mercies. The guard took in her frazzled appearance as she showed him her passport and boarding pass, but made no comment as he let her through. The gate was farther than Hange thought, and she all but sprinted down the deserted airport, heavy pack smacking against her back.

She made it just in time for final boarding.

*****

“Excuse me, sorry! Can we just squeeze through? We’re late for our flight.”

Everyone waiting in line for security mumbled curses under their breath and glared after Eren, Mikasa, and Armin as they wove through the crowd. Eren almost ran into a beefy arm that rose to block his path. He instinctively ducked, but a hand gripped his shoulder and pushed him back. There was a startled cry as Eren was thrown into the person standing behind him. “That’s as far as you go.”

A burly man dressed in camo was squinting down at the trio, lips pressed into a thin line. He looked ready to tackle the three of them to the ground if they took so much as another step. Eren gripped the straps of his bag until his knuckles turned white.

“Look, they just called final boarding for our flight. So, unless you’re about to miss your flight, it shouldn’t matter if we go ahead of you.” He had barely finished his sentence before people in the line began shouting. “Too bad! Wait in line like everyone else!” “Anyone can make that excuse, just wait in line.” “You should have been here hours ago!”

The large man waved a hand at the crowd, as if that proved his point. Face red and green eyes blind with rage, Eren surged forward. This time, instead of ducking under the man’s raised arm, he grabbed it and twisted.

Eren inflicted almost no damage. Instead, he yelped as the man snatched his ear with his other hand and pulled.

“Eren!” Armin and Mikasa cried out. “You little brat, I’ll-” The man suddenly released him. Eren clutched his throbbing ear and looked up to find Mikasa gripping the man’s wrist without much effort. “Mikasa, what are you-”

“I’m so sorry, sir. Sorry everyone. These kids are with us.”

Eren, Mikasa, and Armin all turned in unison. The voice belonged to a young man with short blonde hair near the front of the line. He beckoned them over, hand waving above the sea of heads. The camo man narrowed his eyes at the other man, but his attention snapped back to the three friends the moment they took a step in that direction.

“Well, then. Excuse us,” Eren bit out, purposely bumping the man’s shoulder as he passed. The same hand that Eren badly wanted to break gripped the back of his shoulder. “Where do you think you’re going?”

Now completely pissed off, Eren whipped around and shoved the camo man, hard. Taken by surprise, he stumbled back, giving the trio time to continue weaving through the line. Camo man was still shouting curses after them when they reached their savior.

“You’re supposed to be on the five thirty flight to Lihue right?” The man asked when they squeezed in beside him and the two other companions he was with. The girl spared them a stony, blue eyed glance, while the other - a man well over six feet - smiled down at them and gave a little wave. “Yes! Thank you, but why-” Eren began but the man just put a hand on his shoulder and nodded. “We’re trying to catch the same flight.” His hazel eyes looked them over from top to bottom. “Are you hippies?” Eren was about to reply when the security guard asked to see their passports and boarding passes.

In less than five minutes, the group of six were through the detectors and throwing on their packs. “Come on! Don’t make me regret saving your asses!” The blonde haired man yelled back as he began sprinting towards the gates. “Wait-” Eren watched Armin and Mikasa run after them. “Ugh!” He plucked his remaining shoe off the scanning belt and followed close behind.

They flew down the hall, dodging people left and right. When they finally reached the gate, Eren practically threw himself at the agent.  
“Wait!” She instinctively took a step back, eyes wide, when each of them pushed their passports and boarding passes in her face. They were all panting heavily, faces and clothes dripping with sweat.

The agent stood motionless, and for a heart wrenching moment, Eren thought they were too late. When she finally took his passport, eyes glancing back and forth between his picture and face, and scanned his boarding pass, a collective sigh of relief passed over the group.

“That was really close,” Armin breathed, voice shaking slightly. Eren nodded. “I know. ” He looked up at the three companions walking down the boarding ramp ahead of him.

“Thanks again. We would have never made it without your help.” The blonde man glanced over at Eren, who was now walking beside him. “Don’t mention it.” He stuck out his hand, and Eren was taken aback by the formality. “The name’s Reiner. And this is Bertolt and Annie.” He gestured at the girl with the hook nose and the unnaturally tall man. Bertolt smiled. Annie stared blankly ahead. Eren gripped his hand firmly and grinned. “Eren. And that’s Armin and Mikasa.” Reiner nodded, briefly acknowledging his friends.

"Boarding pass?” Eren held up the slip of paper for the flight attendant at the entrance of the small aircraft. “Your seat will be on the right.”

As the six of them walked down the aisle in search for their seats, Eren was oblivious to the annoyed looks and grumbles being thrown their way. “Eren, I think these are our seats.” Mikasa pointed to the emergency exit row.

Every row had four seats, two on both sides of the plane. There was already someone seated next to the window when Eren plopped himself down. Mikasa and Armin took the two seats across the aisle. Realizing he was still holding his other shoe, he raised his foot and slid it over his dirty sock. The person by the window inhaled sharply. He felt a tap on his shoulder and twisted, elbowing the person beside him in the process. “Sorry!”

Eren completely missed the scathing look sent his way. Peering through the space between the seats, he found Jean and Connie staring at him with eyes like saucers. “What the hell happened to you guys?” Jean whispered, brows rising as they took in his appearance. “We called and texted but none of you bothered to reply.”

“Our phones died.”

Connie squinted. “Is that passion fruit in your hair?”

“It’s a long story.”

Someone cleared their throat. Jean glanced up. “Uh, Eren?” Eren whipped around, elbowing the person beside him again. “Seatbelt.” The flight attendant demonstrated the motion with her hands. Eren clipped on his belt and sat back in his seat. Something dug into his skin, so he tried to adjust his position.

“Oi, you’re getting shit everywhere.”

He froze, then turned to face the person to his left. For a brief moment, he thought he had imagined them. Then he lowered his head and found a pair of narrow steel blue eyes frowning up at him. “Sorry.”

Eren couldn’t help raising his brows when the man produced a handkerchief and proceeded to brush off his immaculate clothing. When he was done, he pulled a one hundred milliliter bottle from his army bag and sprayed something that smelled strangely like detergent in the air surrounding Eren.

“You smell like shit too.” With that, he pressed himself up against the side of the plane, crossed his arms over his chest, and glowered out the window. Eren scratched his head, feeling slightly guilty. When he brought down his hand, it was covered in passion fruit.


	2. Troublesome Beginnings

_“I want to be blind to it all, and I want to pass through this boring day.”_

**

The moment the last passengers stepped onto the plane, Levi knew exactly where they were going to sit. Call it intuition, karma, or the fact that there were precisely six seats left in the entire plane. 

He shouldn’t have kept his hopes up. An entire row almost completely empty on a full flight? It was too good to be true.

Now, he found himself trapped in a hunk of metal over thirty thousand feet in the atmosphere, with no way to escape the annoying brats he was forced to share the same air with. The stench coming off the teen to his right was so awful, he almost threw up every time he got a whiff of it. To top it all off, his equally irritating group of hooligans were seated in the same area of the plane. So, of course, sleep was out of the question. 

The two boys behind him kept giggling like a bunch of school girls. One of the girls would not stop eating. The two across the aisle were by far the most tolerable out of the lot. The blonde haired boy was gazing wistfully out the window while the girl appeared to be asleep, half buried beneath a red scarf.

That changed, however, the moment the boy next to him dropped his snoring head into his lap. Levi roughly shoved him off, and that was when the girl’s eyes snapped open, almost like she had sensed the boy, and shot daggers his way, grey eyes piercing. Clearly, she had a thing for the teen. It was either that or the heat from wearing that troublesome scarf was finally starting to get to her. Whatever the case, he had to tolerate that menacing look every time he nudged her boyfriend whenever he used Levi as a pillow.

He thought the one hour flight would never end. 

When the plane finally landed, Levi prepared himself for a quick exit. The teen next to him was still dormant and unresponsive to his friends’ attempts at waking him up. That didn’t stop Levi from kicking the boy’s bag into the aisle and squeezing by, all while ignoring the girl’s threatening stare. 

The moment he stepped off the plane, Levi could no longer contain the aggravated breath that escaped his lips. Bypassing baggage claim, he went straight for the exit, in search of a particular rental car sign. Walking up to the desk, Levi placed his driver’s license and booking confirmation on the counter.

“I have a pre-booked rental for five days.” 

Chin in hand, the young man pried his gaze away from his phone and sighed. “Sorry, all of our economy cars are rented for the day. We have some that will become available if you come back tomorrow.”

Levi studied the man, unreadable blue eyes narrowing slightly. “I said pre-booked. That means, regardless of whoever comes to your company demanding for a same day rental, I am guaranteed a car on the specified date. That’s why it’s called an advanced booking.”

The man just sat there, staring up at him, and Levi found his hand twitching with the urge to slap that vacant expression off his face. “Look, I’m sorry, but there is physically no way I can get you a car. The entire economy lot is empty. Go and see for yourself if you don’t believe me. There’s nothing there.”

Levi couldn’t remember the last time he had lost his composure. But dammit if this man, and the situation he was currently in, didn’t make his blood boil and slowly tip him over the peak of his self-control. Levi’s face darkened, and the man visibly swallowed. 

“Levi?!”

Tearing his eyes away from the young man, Levi was more than a little surprised to find a familiar woman making her way towards him. “Wow, it is you! Never thought I’d find you here.” Hange stopped beside him, face stretched in a wide smile and brown eyes luminous behind a pair of rectangular lenses. 

“Four eyes.” 

The nickname only made her smile grow wider, and before he could say anything, she was slinging an arm around his shoulders. She turned to face the man at the counter. “What’s the problem?”

“This slacker refuses to give me a car I already paid for.”

Hange scowled. “That sounds pretty shady. And will this slacker be providing this gentleman with a refund?”

The man quickly grew uncomfortable, eyes darting between the intimidating pair. “Of course, but-” Hange smacked the counter and the man jumped. “Perfect, now get to it!”

Hange turned to face Levi, arm still wrapped around his shoulders. He glanced to his left, catching her eye, and she grinned. “Since you’re in need of a car, and all the other companies are completely booked for the day, we could share.” She nodded towards the company just next door.

“I’m not here to sight see.” 

“Then what are you here for?” She examined him. “Hmm. Let’s see. Sturdy hiking bag, minimalist clothing, hiking boots...” Nodding her head, she gripped her chin in thought. “You’re definitely hiking, but since you’re Levi, you won’t just go on any trail.” The sun reflected off her glasses, hiding her eyes temporarily as she lowered her head, a smile playing on her lips. “There’s only one trail that’s challenging enough to meet your standards, and it’s the Kalalau. Which, as it just happens, I’ll also be hiking tomorrow.”

There was nothing Levi could say to that, so he removed himself from her hold and grabbed his documents and refund receipt off the counter. 

“I knew it!” 

Hange skipped ahead of him, and looked back when she reached the Hertz counter. “Don’t go anywhere! I just need to sign these papers and then Nick here will show us to our car!”

There was nothing Levi could do but cross his arms and wait. Taking a cab was out of the question after what had happened this morning, and he had no other way of getting to the trail. Carpooling with Hange was his only option, and Levi tried not to wonder why he didn’t mind this new arrangement as much as he should have.

A few minutes later, Levi and Hange were following Nick to their rental car. “This is it.” The car was revealed with a sweep of his arms.

“Ah! I love it!” Hange pushed past Levi and flung herself onto the red Jeep Wrangler. Arms wrapped around the front and cheek pressed against the hood; she closed her eyes in pure bliss. “It’s beautiful.”

Levi let Hange have her little moment, amused despite himself. “The tank is half full and should be returned half full. If there are any issues, just give us a call. Enjoy your time on Kauai.” Hange looked up, arms still embracing the Jeep, and flashed Nick a radiant smile. “Thank you!” 

Once Nick was gone, Levi made his way over to Hange, who was now fervently checking every inch of the car. “She’s in almost perfect condition!” Getting down on hands and knees, she started to crawl beneath the car but he gripped the top of her ponytail and hauled her up.

“There’s nothing to see under there. Let’s get moving.” “Wait, let me just check something!” When she tried to break free, he spun her around to face him. Holding her excited gaze, he pulled out the keys and placed them in her hand, fingers lingering. “Just get in the car and drive.” 

Hange was more than eager to obey, passionately babbling as she hopped into the driver’s seat. She was still spewing nonsense when he swung open the passenger door and stepped in beside her. “...off road modifications. I’m pretty sure they added locking differentials, for when the terrain gets really challenging. They even removed the entire factory suspension for-”

“Hange.”

  
At his imploring look, she grinned, and with a squeal turned the key in the ignition. Foot on the gas pedal, she sped out of the lot and onto the freeway. 

“I propose a meeting time for tomorrow. I’m staying at-”

“The Westin Princeville?”

At Levi’s incredulous look, she rolled her eyes. “Eighty percent of the island is uninhabited. How many hotels close to the trail do you think offer a military discount?” He crossed his arms and sat back in his seat. “But, since it’s too early for us to check in, I had this brilliant idea! There’s this really nice waterfall if we head up to -”

“No waterfalls.”

“But Levi-” 

“Stop at the closest superstore you see. We need at least two days worth of provisions.” 

That left little room for argument, so Hange proceeded to pout and give Levi the stink eye every now and then.

Levi rolled down the window, letting the wind blow through his raven hair, and took a deep breath. They were surrounded by lush emerald valleys and sharp mountain spires on one side. On the other, the Pacific Ocean glittered in the early morning sun. Levi was captivated by the island’s dramatic beauty, though his impassivity could have fooled anyone. Anyone but Hange, anyway. 

There was a gleam in her eyes when Levi spun around at the sound of the radio coming to life. After flipping through several channels, she finally settled on a seventies, eighties, and nineties station. The song currently blasting through the speakers was Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling.” 

Hange started belting out the lyrics, bobbing her head and tapping her hand on the side of the car through the open window. Her brown hair, pinned in a high ponytail, was flying every which way, but she didn’t seem to mind. When Hange caught him staring, she grinned. Levi found himself returning the smile.

*****

“Mikasa, is everything okay?” Jean frowned, taking in her stiff shoulders and penetrating stare. He followed her line of sight until his eyes rested on the back of a short man with an undercut standing at a rental car desk.

“Do you know him?” Mikasa tightened the grip on her bag. 

“We were thinking of heading to a Walmart. We should go together!” Mikasa tore her gaze away from the man at the sound of Eren’s voice. “Hey guys, this is Reiner, Bertolt, and Annie. They’re also planning to hike the Kalalau trail tomorrow,” Eren said when Jean and Mikasa joined the group.

Jean assessed Eren’s new companions. They appeared to be around the same age as them, maybe one or two years older. They were also a lot more athletic. Mikasa was probably the only one who could compare. He, on the other hand, left much to be desired. 

Completely misinterpreting Jean’s look, Eren rushed to assert, “We would have definitely missed the flight if they hadn’t stepped in to help us.”

Armin nodded, eyes fixed on Annie. “Thanks again for that.” 

“You should join us then, especially since we’ll undoubtedly be seeing more of each other,” Connie latched onto Eren’s suggestion. 

Reiner turned to Bertolt, who was watching Annie. Annie shrugged.

“I think we’re gonna hit some trails first,” Reiner replied, swinging back around to face them. “Not as much foot traffic this early in the morning. Thanks for the offer though.”

Eren deflated. “Okay. It was nice meeting you.” “Likewise. See you on the trail.” With a final wave, Jean watched the three friends make their way toward the lineup of cabs outside. 

“We should also get going. When is the check-in?” Ymir asked, turning to Jean. 

“Why are you looking at me? Armin’s the one with all the booking information.” Armin’s blue eyes widened. 

“Um, let me find it.” He pulled out his phone.

“Based on that, we’ll know how much time we have to kill.” “And if we have time to explore the island,” Eren added. 

Jean sent him a bewildered look. “I still don’t know what happened to you guys, but you smell and look like shit. Don’t you think it’s better to take it easy before tomorrow’s hike?”

That was apparently the wrong thing to say. Eren stepped forward, until his face was only inches from his own. Those vibrant green eyes bored into him. Jean’s next breath was a heady mix of what smelled like garbage and sweat and it took all of his willpower not to cough in Eren’s face. He really did smell like shit.

“What did you just -”

“Eren.” Mikasa placed a hand on his shoulder, and he immediately relaxed. “Jean’s right. We should use today to get some rest.”

Even through the heat, Jean could feel his face grow warm. Something fluttered in his chest when he caught Mikasa’s grey stare. He couldn’t help feeling more than a little pleased that Mikasa had chosen to agree with him over Eren. 

“Check-in is at two pm.” Armin glanced down at his garmin watch. “It’s almost seven thirty.”

Sasha clapped her hands together. “That gives us more than enough time to go to Walmart and have breakfast.”

A five minute taxi ride later, and the eight of them were stepping into a Walmart close to the airport, which also happened to be the only Walmart on the entire island. Jean and Mikasa each took a cart before continuing through the second set of automatic doors.

“Normally, I’d say save best for last, but since we’re already in the food section…” Sasha rushed over to vegetables. “Look at these baby potatoes!” She grabbed an armful and turned to show them. “They’re so cute!”

Connie eyed them quizzically. “What are we going to do with potatoes?” Sasha looked offended. “Eat them, of course.” His eyes bulged. “Raw?”

Sasha opened her mouth but Jean cut in, “No, that’s gross. We boil them first.” Eren whipped around. “Ew. You eat soggy potatoes?” 

“What? They’re not soggy. Have you never eaten boiled potatoes?” Jean noticed his friends were all giving him funny looks. 

“Everyone knows that chips are a potato’s best form.” Ymir glanced sideways at Eren. “What are you talking about? Chips barely qualify as a potato. I don’t even think there’s half a potato in a bag. Mashed potatoes on the other hand…” Connie crossed his arms. “Seriously? Is no one going to mention fries?”

Eren faced Mikasa and Armin. “What about you guys? You agree with me, right?” “I’m undecided,” Armin mumbled. “I like boiled potatoes.” Everyone gawked at Mikasa. Jean was especially shocked. Two points for Jean... “But chips are good too,” she added when Eren started to sulk.

Sasha’s eyes darted between the group of friends. “Well, I think they’re all great! Though I was going to say that raw is the purest form and therefore the best but-” Everyone’s brows immediately rose in alarm, were about to open their mouths and intervene, when Sasha’s eyes became fixed on something off to their left. “Meat!” 

They continued like this for a while, everyone sort of following Sasha around, while also picking out food for themselves. Jean’s cart was quickly filling up, and no one seemed ready to leave the food section anytime soon. “Guys, I think we have enough food.”

“There’s never enough food,” Sasha said, clutching several foot long baguettes. “Oh! Guys, we forgot the most important ingredient for the smores!” Eren suddenly exclaimed.

Jean watched him quickly disappear behind the next aisle, then turned to face the rest of his friends. “Okay, I seriously think this is enough. Where are we going to store all this food?” Sasha hugged the baguettes closer to her chest. “We take it with us.”

“I don’t know Sasha. Our bags are pretty full.” Armin looked thoughtful. “We can try asking the hostel owner to keep it in the shared kitchen for two days.”

That was when Eren appeared at the end of the aisle, juggling a bag of marshmallows along with an armful of other food items. Jean intercepted him and crossed his arms. “No way. You went for marshmallows and you came back with the entire snack aisle.” 

He raised an arm when Eren tried to sidestep him. Several packets fell to the floor. Green eyes narrowed into a glare. “Step aside Jean. Or I’ll make you.” Jean’s brows shot up past his hairline. “Really? Let’s see you try.”

Armin crammed himself between the two teens, hands raised. “Guys, this is nothing to-” He froze, eyes fixed to the floor. “Are those cheez-its?” Eren grinned. “Yup.” Armin picked up a box, face breaking into a wide smile. “Where did you find them?” Eren pointed to the next aisle. 

Jean let out an exasperated sigh when Armin sent him an apologetic look and ran off to grab more cheez-its. Eren smirked, brushing past him and dumping the snacks into his overflowing cart.

Finally, after some pleading and manhandling, Jean managed to steer his friends away from the food. They bypassed the clothing and souvenirs - half the contents of their bags were items bought from the iconic ABC stores scattered across the islands - and stopped by the camping section. 

“Armin, do you think we need a new tent? There’s a hole on the side of ours,” Eren confessed, gazing up at the tents on display. Armin pondered for a moment. “If it rains, the floor of the tent might get wet. I don’t think we have to worry as long as it doesn’t start pouring. It also depends how much money you have left on your dad's card.” 

“Mine and Connie’s tent has a pretty significant rip and we were fine in a light drizzle,” Jean added. Eren nodded and continued down the aisle. “Then I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

By the time they reached the checkout, both carts were so full, his friends had to hold some of the items to keep them from falling out. Every lane was packed so they joined the end of an indiscriminate line. 

Ymir furrowed her brows and lifted a hand. “Wait, why does it feel like we’re forgetting something?” Eren’s eyes widened. “The booze!” He moved to run but Jean grabbed his arm. “Wait. Eren, we’re not old enough yet, remember? And your dad’s not here to buy it for us.” 

Eren brushed him off. “We’ll think of something.” He fled before Jean could seize him again. “Get the smirnoff coolers!” Connie called after him. Jean shot him a glare. “If they ask for our ID, we’re screwed!” 

“We might be able to get around that.” Jean didn’t like the gleam in Ymir’s eyes. “What if two of us acted like parents to a bunch of rambunctious teens?” “What? That’ll never work.” Armin nodded. “I don’t think we’re fooling anyone.” 

“Yeah, we all sort of look and act like rambunctious teenagers,” Connie supplied. “Except for maybe Jean and Mikasa.” All eyes turned to the friends in question. “They could both pass as young adults.” 

Krista looked skeptical. “What about the rest of us?” “We can wait for them outside.”

Jean gaped, opening his mouth to tell him that no way was he going through with this outrageous plan that’s sure to get them kicked out of the only Walmart on the island, when Eren returned with the coolers. “So, what’s the plan?” He whispered, head bent and eyes darting around. _Could he be any more obvious?_

“Mr. and Mrs. Kirstein are just a couple on their honeymoon shopping at Walmart,” Connie announced, indicating Jean and Mikasa with a nod. He turned his head so that only Jean could see, and winked. Jean’s jaw dropped open.

“Not bad. With Jean’s longer hair and that goatee he’s growing out, he could definitely pass as a thirty year old married man.” 

They were almost at the front of the line. Jean faced Mikasa. “Are you okay with this?” Mikasa looked like she wanted to say something, but then Eren dumped the coolers into his arms. “Of course she’s okay with this. She’s not a wimp like you.” 

Hands shaking with barely suppressed fury, Jean pushed the coolers back to Eren. “Call me whatever you want, but I’m not going through with this.” Those passionate green eyes bored into him. “Who knows the next time we’ll all be together like this. We’re all going our separate ways soon. I want this trip to be memorable, so that we can all look back on it years from now and never forget all the fun we had together. I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.”

Jean was at a loss for words. Sure, his little speech strayed from the topic of underage drinking but he knew that everyone, including himself, felt Eren’s words like a punch in the gut. It was something neither one of them had mentioned or dared to acknowledge until now. A Walmart didn’t seem like the best place to bring it up either, but he couldn’t even think about that, because he was suddenly very much aware of the four days they had left of their trip.

“So grow a pair and help us out.” 

Jean’s fingers clenched around the coolers, but he mumbled an assent. Connie placed a grateful hand on his shoulder and smiled, eyes apologetic. “We’ll wait for you outside.” 

Jean watched his friends leave, feeling helplessely forced into a risky situation he’s almost certain won’t end well. Some part of him wanted to sneak out the other exit, but that would mean leaving Mikasa to deal with everything on her own, and that was something he couldn’t do. 

Which is why when the cashier called the next customer, he followed Mikasa and helped her place their items on the conveyor belt. When the lady behind the register slid the coolers over the scanner, Jean broke into a sweat.

“Jean.” He caught Mikasa’s stare, face just inches from his own. “Don’t think too much about it. Just act normal.” He nodded, cheeks turning red at his apparently obvious discomfort. 

“You two are so cute.” The older woman scanning their items was looking between Jean and Mikasa with a glimmer in her eyes. “Are you here on honeymoon or just a couple’s getaway?” 

Jean opened his mouth, but no sound came out, and all he managed to do was choke on his saliva. “We’re on our honeymoon,” Mikasa replied, smiling. As if that smile wasn’t enough to leave him dumbstruck, he very nearly fainted when she wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. Jean was pretty sure his face looked like a tomato.

The woman gushed. “I envy you. A honeymoon in Hawaii is any couple's dream.” She looked up and smiled. “ I can see how much your husband adores you. He can’t keep his eyes off you.” Mikasa turned and he quickly averted his gaze, but she had already caught him staring.

The cashier sighed. “Wish my husband still looked at me like that.”

Once everything was scanned and paid for, Jean made his way to the exit as quickly as the packed cart would allow. Mikasa kept up beside him. It was taking all of his effort not to look at her, and it wasn’t the first time he wondered if she knew about his feelings.

When they finally stepped out of the Walmart, Jean couldn’t keep it in any longer. “Mikasa, I-”

“Jean! Mikasa!” They looked up. Connie was waving his arms, calling them over from a stretch of grass at the far end of the parking lot, surrounded by chickens.

“Jean, what is it?” “What?” He still couldn’t look at her. “What did you want to tell me?” Jean pushed his cart forward. “Nothing. It wasn’t important.”

She didn’t press him, and he tried not to feel disappointed. Jean was afraid that she did know how he felt but chose not to say anything, because no matter what he did, she would always love Eren.


	3. Unexpected Developments

_“Even without hoping for a sudden development, it’s not like you won’t come or anything.”_

**

Levi fell asleep. Hange was ready to drive into a Walmart when she noticed Levi’s slumped form; head tilted slightly toward the open window while the wind flitted through his raven hair. Humming along with an older Goo Goo Dolls song she loved, Hange passed by the signature blue building as though she hadn’t seen it.

After about an hour of driving down the island’s only main road, he finally woke up.

“Where are we?” Startled, Hange momentarily lost control of the car. Bringing the Jeep back to the correct lane, she glanced to her right.

“Jesus Levi, you scared the crap out of me. Can’t you wake up-” “Where the hell are we?”

“On the north side of the island.” She dared a peek in his direction. “Oh come on, don’t look at me like that. You fell asleep, what was I supposed to do?” He was looking daggers at her. “Wake me up.”

With a grin, she turned into the trailhead parking. “And miss this opportunity to see the Hanakapiai Falls?” Pulling into a parking spot, she pried the keys from the ignition and stepped out of the car.

“Oh, that feels good,” Hange moaned, standing in place and twisting her upper body. “I was starting to cramp up in there. Those seats are pretty hard too, my butt’s numb. How’s yours?” When no one replied, she furrowed her brows, working her way through some leg stretches, and peered through the open driver side door.

“Levi?” He was still in the car, arms crossed and eyes closed. Hange walked around and gripped the passenger door, pulling hard.

It was stuck.

Hands plastered to the window, she glowered into the car. “Stop pouting and get out of the car.” When he remained motionless, Hange forced the door open again. It still wouldn’t budge. She hadn’t locked the car, which meant he was holding it with the strength of Zeus.

Without a word, she walked over to the open driver side door. Oh, he was getting out.

A door slammed and Hange looked up to see Levi step out of the Jeep. She beamed.

“Great. Let me get my camera and then we’ll take that trail to the Falls. The hike averages two hours one way but I think we can make it there and back in the same amount of time.”

Fishing her Sony Alpha out of her bag, she closed and locked the doors before turning towards Levi. Only, he was no longer there.

“Levi, where...” She watched him disappear behind some palm trees, and jogged to catch up.

“It’s closed.” Levi stood in front of the barrier blocking the path.

Hange squinted at the sign and scratched her head. “Why would it be closed? This is a rainforest, not a restaurant.” Hands on her hips and head raised, she marched up to the barrier and placed a foot on one of the metal bars.

“What are you doing?” Levi sounded slightly alarmed. She reached up to grasp the top of the barrier. “I didn’t drive us all the way here for nothing. Come on Levi, we’re seeing this waterfall. I don’t care if-”

“Sorry folks, the trail’s closed.” Hange stopped, one foot over the gate, and peered over her shoulder. A once over revealed that the authoritative voice belonged to a park ranger, so she gingerly climbed down.

“We noticed,” Levi said dryly. The man quirked a brow.

Hange stepped up beside Levi. “I’m so sorry sir, but we drove here straight from the airport just to see the Falls. I’m sure you can make an exception for two people. We’ve spent over a year planning this once in a lifetime trip.” She looped her arm through Levi’s. “It’s for our ten year anniversary.”

The ranger’s lips tipped up in amusement. Levi looked completely appalled. “I really wish I could, but even if you had continued past the gate, you wouldn’t be able to see the waterfall. Part of the ridge collapsed in the last storm. A flash flood caused an entire section of the trail to collapse.”

At Hange’s crestfallen look, he quickly added, “But, there are several waterfalls along this road. You passed a few actually. The Kalalau trail also has some pretty impressive ones but that’s only if you’re the real adventurous type. That trail’s seen a few deaths over the years.” Her brown eyes appeared to take on a different kind of glow. “We’re actually hiking that tomorrow.”

The ranger’s eyes widened, and darted between the two. “Wow, okay. Be careful then. Seriously. Watch out for the weather. It changes unexpectedly on these islands. You don’t want to be stuck on the trail in a downpour. Trust me. My brother’s friend’s sister died in a flash flood when she was on the trail.”

That only made Hange’s smile grow wider. Levi remained impassive.

“We’ll keep that in mind.” Arms still linked, Hange steered Levi towards the Jeep and sent the ranger a parting wave. “Thanks for the information.”

“Enjoy your hike, and stay safe.”

The moment they passed the line of palm trees, Levi wasted no time extracting himself from her side. Hange watched, amused, as he stalked ahead. Reaching for the car keys in her back pocket, she panicked upon finding it empty. Had she dropped them while climbing the gate?

“Levi, wait a second. I think I dropped the-”

Hange’s head snapped up upon hearing the Jeep’s locks click open. Temporarily dumb with consternation, all she could do was stand frozen in place as Levi stepped into the driver’s seat. Shaking off her stupor, she was there in a flash, but not fast enough to stop Levi from shutting the door in her face.

“Are you really going to leave me here?!” She exclaimed, one fist banging on the door. He started the engine. “I left my bag in the car!”

She stopped her pounding when he lowered the window. “Oi, stop destroying the car and get your annoying ass in here.” Blowing a strand of hair out of her face, she crossed her arms and scowled. “Why are you suddenly driving the rental car _I_ paid for?”

He rested an arm against the open window, looking much too comfortable behind the wheel of _her_ rental Jeep. “Because you can’t be trusted.”

She clasped her hands and stuck her head through the window. “Please Levi. I swear, just one waterfall and then we can go wherever you want.” His face was inches from her own. Those inscrutable blue eyes seemed to soften.

“Just one.” Hange squealed, skipping over to the passenger side and flinging herself into the car. Unable to contain her excitement, she placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder and grinned. “I promise it’ll be worth it.” He glanced in her direction, but said nothing as he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road.

Being completely honest with herself, Hange had no idea why Levi had agreed to her proposition. Surely, he must have known that she couldn’t possibly be satisfied with one waterfall. In the end, Hange managed to drag Levi around most of the island. But, to her joy and disbelief, he hadn’t put up much of a fight against her incessant nagging.

After stopping by a Walmart, it was almost five in the afternoon when they finally checked into the hotel they were both staying at. The large pool by the ocean was a tempting sight, so the minute Hange entered her room, she quickly dumped her shopping bags on the counter and changed into a red one piece bathing suit. Slinging a beach towel over her shoulder and swapping her glasses with a pair of swim goggles, she stepped out of the room and into the sweltering afternoon sun.

A paved walkway surrounded by palm trees led to the pool. Hange jogged down the path in excitement and placed her things on a lounge chair. Sliding down her goggles, she pushed off the balls of her feet and sprinted towards the deep end. With a cry, she cannon-balled into the water.

She came up for air on the side closest to the ocean. Resting her crossed arms over the edge, Hange took a moment to admire the magnificent view. The deep blue water shimmered like stars, and waves crashed against white sand beaches dotted with palm trees.

Growing up in a small town in the mid United States, Hange had dreamed of seeing the ocean her entire life. Joining the military had finally given her that chance. It was the only way she would have ever gotten the chance.

Letting go of the edge, Hange submerged herself, attempting to clear all thoughts of her life before the military. Doing a somersault beneath the water, she pushed off the wall and swung her arm into a front crawl when she surfaced. At the other end of the pool, she turned and swam back.

Hange completed thirty laps before sitting on the opposite side of the pool to catch her breath. Taking off her foggy goggles, she rubbed her chlorine stung eyes and looked up just as Levi walked through the gate leading down to the beach. His face was slightly flushed, skin glistening with a thin sheen of sweat.

Hange couldn’t help the approving smile that graced her lips when he took off his sweaty grey T-shirt and threw it onto a lounge chair. While she was busy appreciating the view, Levi stepped up to the edge of the pool and dove gracefully into the water.

He surfaced halfway and swam the other half in a perfect front crawl. Reaching the end, he rolled and pushed off the wall, continuing back to the other side. Hange sat there, legs swinging back and forth, watching Levi glide through the water with ease. Finishing up his final lap, he swung himself onto the edge and pushed his wet bangs aside.

“How can you run for more than an hour in this heat, then swim fifty laps, and not pass out?”

His steel blue gaze slid over to where she was seated several feet away. “Since it looks like that still wasn’t enough for you, want another go?” There was a challenge in her eyes.

This was the only way she could ever hope of beating Levi at anything; after he’s tired himself out a bit. Hange didn’t know how such a small man possessed so much strength. Granted, the man was ripped. Her eyes involuntarily moved lower, and caught his stare.

There was a different intensity to his gaze as he studied her. Before she could investigate further, he faced the other side of the pool and rose.

“How many laps?” Hange slid down her goggles and followed him up. “Let’s go with twenty.” Levi nodded toward the clock above the bar. “At fifty five.”

Both of them waited in tense anticipation for the digital clock to signal the start of the race. At seven fifty five, they dove into the water in unison.

Hange was taller and had the advantage when they reached the end of the pool. Using her longer legs, she was able to push off and surface further than Levi. That was unfortunately her only leverage, because even after straining himself, he was still able to keep up with her front crawl.

It wasn’t as though Hange wasn’t fit. You had to be strong physically and mentally just to join the military. From there, the training was so tough that you had no choice but to endure or leave. Those who made it to the end were nothing but the strongest.

Even so, Levi was on a whole other level than anyone she had ever met, and that included those in the military. There was a reason Commander Erwin put so much trust in him. _And responsibility_ , she thought.

It was their final lap and they were neck and neck. At the opposite end of the pool, Hange pushed off the wall with most of her remaining strength, relying on this only advantage to get her far enough before he could catch up.

Surfacing, she took a breath and almost choked when water flew into her mouth. Spluttering, she watched Levi pass her.

A sudden burst of energy kept her pushing forward. This wasn’t just about winning. It was about proving to him that she was a formidable competitor, and therefore someone he could trust to have his back out in the field, the same way she put all of her trust in him as her captain.

Several metres left and Levi was in the lead. Hange wasn’t far behind, but even after straining her muscles to the limit, she was still no match for him. She finished a full twenty seconds behind.

“How are you so fast?” Hange spoke between gulps of air. “I thought I’d have a much better chance of at least keeping up with you if you exerted yourself beforehand.”

Levi lifted himself onto the edge of the pool, and after recuperating, she accompanied him. A moment passed in easy silence before she stole a glance to her right. Heartbeat stuttering, Hange saw that Levi was already watching her with that same expression from earlier. This time, he didn’t look away, and she suddenly felt uncomfortably hot.

“Can you see?” “What?” He raised a hand and flicked her right eye. It ricocheted less than an inch from her face, and that’s when she realized her goggles were still on.

With a chuckle, she removed the lenses, hoping he couldn’t hear the slight shake in her voice. “Forgot these were on.” What she didn’t say was that regardless of the condensation, she could still see through them.

Putting a hand to her forehead, she frowned. Why was she feeling so feverish all of a sudden? “Oi, four eyes, you okay?” Levi’s brows were furrowed, and the slight worry in his eyes somehow made her feel worse.

“I’m fine. Let me go get us some drinks. Don’t go anywhere.”

With that, she got up and made her way to the bar. Hange needed a refreshment, and some time away from Levi. That unfamiliar feeling stirring inside of her was far from unpleasant, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to give a name to it just yet.

Mind clear and hands wrapped around their cold beverages, Hange regained her seat next to Levi and handed him one of the cups. He eyed his drink aporetically and she hid a smile behind a swig of her strawberry daiquiri.

“They only had iced tea.” At his disapproving look she said, “It’s a bar. I’m surprised they had any form of tea.” She watched him cautiously raise the glass and couldn’t help herself from adding, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they spiked it though.”

The cup froze halfway to his lips, then seemed to make up his mind, and took a sip anyway. From his lack of a reaction, Hange could tell that he liked it so she smiled and continued to savour her daiquiri.

“So, what’s the real reason you’re here? I’m sure Captain Levi has a hundred other things he’d rather be doing on his limited time off.”

He took another sip of his tea. Hange waited, but after several moments passed with still no reply, she peered over at him. There was something strange in the way he was gazing out at the ocean. That closed off look was gone, and to her surprise, replaced with melancholy.

Realizing that the topic was unofficially taboo, she changed the subject in an attempt to lighten the mood. She enjoyed their careless banter. The Levi exchanging snarky comments and snide remarks was much better than the one she was looking at now.

“That last ridge hike was pretty amazing! Those views of the Napali coast at the end were impressive, even you have to admit.” In an instant, his face returned to its usual aloofness. “Yes, and thanks to you I got bird shit on my white shirt.”

Her smile wavered. “Oh yeah. Look, I didn’t know that Albatross was actually going to come for us.” Levi glowered at her. “What did you think would happen when you approached it’s baby?” “It looked fine! I was super careful about it too.” She put her cup to the side and demonstrated with her hands. “I approached it like this, camera at the ready. But when the mom looked at me, I stopped, and then she flew at me!”

Levi brought down his glass, blue eyes narrowed. “You probably pissed her off with the brainless sounds you were making.” Hange looked distraught. “I was trying to calm her down!”

Suddenly remembering that the endeavor was, in fact, successful, she beamed. “The pictures turned out great though!” Upon catching Levi’s dirty look, she grinned and hooked her arm through his. “Come on Levi, I think a little bird poop is a fair price to pay for rare shots like these!” “You owe me a new shirt.”

Her smile softened. “I’ll get you two. One is for the next time you undoubtedly have to save me from a crazy bird.” “Tch.”

Letting herself revel in his touch for another brief moment, Hange found that she dreaded the moment he would surely push her away. So she extracted herself from his side with the purpose of picking up her daiquiri for another drink.

“Aaaah! Look at that sunset!” Hange suddenly exclaimed, daiquiri temporarily forgotten as her brown eyes lit up with the vivid spectrum of colours painted across the sky. “Let me go grab my camera.” She started to rise but was held in place by a hand on her wrist. “There’s no time. You’re going to miss it.”

A glance confirmed that Levi was right, so she sat back down, and together they watched the sun dip below the horizon, lighting the Pacific Ocean in a fiery red glow.

*****

Grabbing a towel off the rack, Eren stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed. His appearance had received some pretty drastic reactions, and he hadn’t realized just how accurate they were until he saw the colour of the water going down the drain.

After patting himself dry, he wrapped the towel around his hips and dug through his bag. Brows furrowed, he searched more vigorously when he couldn’t find a few very important items. A sound of frustration escaped his lips.

He cracked open the door just enough to stick his head out. Confirming that the coast was clear, he stepped out of the shared bathroom and tiptoed to their dormitory.

“Finally! I was starting to think you fell asleep while you were taking a shit or something,” Ymir commented when he entered. He quietly closed the door and whirled around. Upon realizing his current state of undress, his friends froze, eyes widening in alarm.

“Eren, where are your –” “I know it was you Jean.”

Jean crossed his arms. “You’re going to have to be a little more specific.”

“Where are my clothes?” The fool had the audacity to look bemused.

“How should I know?” Eren pointed an accusing finger at the person he was certain was the culprit. “Don’t play dumb. Who else would do something so petty?”

To his complete shock, Jean reclined against the bottom bed of the bunk he and Connie were sharing, and smirked. “Fine, don’t believe me. Throw whatever insults you want if that’s what you think will make your clothes magically reappear.”

Face red, Eren stomped over to where Jean was lounging; showered and comfortable in a clean turquoise button up and white khaki shorts. “Give them back.” Jean sighed. “I seriously don’t know where they are.”

“Just wear something else Eren.” “Like what?!” He exclaimed, pinning Ymir with a menacing look. “I only brought one change of clothes.”

Jean snickered. “Who brings just one change of clothes? No wonder you wore the same outfit for more than half of the trip. I thought it was just because you’re a lazy slob with no sense of fashion.”

Eren lunged.

A wrestling match ensued on Jean’s bed. Eventually, the two of them ended up on the floor. Eren threw a punch. Jean dodged and caught his other fist. They heard voices just outside the dorm, and then the door opened.

“Eren! Jean!” It was Mikasa.

Jean loosened his grip, eyes darting momentarily to the door. Eren took that opportunity to aim a well placed punch to his face. At the very last second, Jean moved, and rolled over part of his towel. Before Eren even knew what was happening, the towel was on the floor, and he was sitting butt naked on Jean with a fist an inch from his nose.

“This isn’t what it looks like.” He leapt off Jean, momentarily forgetting about his absence of clothes, and turned to face his friends.

Several things happened after that. Ymir rushed to a bright red Krista and dragged her out of the room. Connie and Armin were paralyzed, faces stricken. Mikasa covered Sasha’s eyes and steered her out the door. “We’ll come back when you're decent.”

They did come back, but he still wouldn't call himself decent. Eren was in the top bed of the bunk he shared with Armin, wrapped under a blanket and still very much naked. He glowered down at Jean, who chose to ignore him and immerse himself in the screen of his phone.

“Are you sure I can come in? I really don’t want to see that again,” Krista asked, cautiously entering the room after Mikasa, Sasha, and Ymir. Ymir caught his eye and smirked. “Yup, he’s completely covered. Nothing to worry about, Krista.”

Eren felt his cheeks grow warm.

“Well, you have Jean to thank for that little show.” Jean didn’t even bat an eyelash.

“What makes you think Jean took your clothes?” Armin questioned, sitting down on their bottom bunk. “Process of elimination. From the moment we met, he’s had this unjustified grudge against me.”

“It’s not a grudge. You’re just so easy to piss off that I find I can’t help myself.” Eren sat up, blanket falling to his waist, and pointed a finger at the punk. “So you finally admit you took my clothes!” Jean sighed. “Did you not hear a word I said?”

“Guys, come on, no more fighting. Eren, you can borrow some of my clothes,” Armin offered. Eren crossed his arms and continued to pout, but nodded. “Thanks Armin.”

While Armin dug through his bag, Mikasa asked, “Did you check your bag?” “Obviously. Where else would they be? Unless someone decided to go through my stuff.”

Jean rolled his eyes at the inflection. “Did you check the front pocket?” “No, but-” Mikasa walked over to his half-opened bag propped against the bunk, unzipped the hidden compartment, and pulled out his missing garments.

“How did you-” “We were running late so I packed your bag for you. Sorry Eren, I put them there.” Eren flushed, embarrassed with all the fuss he made, and took his clothes from Mikasa’s outstretched hands.

Jean scoffed. “Does Mikasa have to do everything for you?” He had to bite his tongue to keep from shooting back a retort, because there was nothing he could say to that. Jean was right, of course. But no matter how hard Eren tried to push Mikasa away, get her to think of him as someone other than a brother she constantly needed to babysit, she never seemed to get the message.

Eren kept silent and got dressed beneath the covers, taking his time in order to compose himself. He wouldn’t let Jean of all people get to him, especially when it came to his relationship with Mikasa.

When he was done, he climbed off his bunk and went to get his phone, which was charging on a shelf by the bed. Along the way, he took a pillow off Armin’s bed and smacked it over Jean’s face.

“Argh!” Jean choked into the pillow, throwing it off and sitting up with a glare. Eren ignored him, unable to stop the satisfied smirk that always came with annoying Jean, and typed in his passcode. He saw that he had over twenty missed calls and text messages, most of them from “Peach Fuzz” and “Horse Face”.

Armin sighed and picked up his pillow off the floor. “Is everyone finished packing for tomorrow?” They all mumbled an assent. “Then I’m turning off the light.” There was an immediate outburst of protest. “Tomorrow’s hike will be the hardest we’ve ever attempted. Not to mention the trail is one of the most dangerous in the world. I don’t want us to go into this already exhausted.”

Eren remained unperturbed and continued scrolling through his instagram feed. “Armin’s right,” Krista said and got off Ymir’s bed, much to the other girl’s disappointment. “I don’t want to drag anyone down tomorrow.” Ymir caught Krista by the waist, rooting her to the spot. “Oh come on Krista, we both know you’re too noble for that. You’d crawl to the end if you had to. That’s what I love about you.” Krista blushed.

“As long as we have lots of food I’ll be fine,” Sasha spoke between spoonfuls of peanut butter, legs swinging back and forth on the top bed of the bunk she and Mikasa were sharing. Connie watched her savour every bite with one eyebrow raised. “Isn’t it a bit late to be eating peanut butter?” Sasha replied by sticking out her tongue.

“Well I’m with Armin on this. You guys can do whatever you want as long as you keep it down. I’m going to sleep.” With that, Jean put his phone away, turned to face the wall and pulled the covers over his head. Eren finally looked up from his phone and tiptoed over to Jean’s bed, but stopped when he caught Mikasa shaking her head.

Frowning, he plugged his phone back in the charger and climbed up the wooden steps to his own bed. “Fine. Armin, you can turn off the light.” Once he was content that everyone had settled down, Armin flicked the switch by the door, plunging the dormitory in darkness. The moon shone through the slightly open window, providing a soft white glow to the otherwise pitch black room.

Eren attempted to get into a comfortable sleeping position, twisting and turning on the hard mattress. With a huff, he threw off the covers and stared at the ceiling, eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. From the rustling and sighs, he could tell his friends were in a similar situation. So when Connie broke the silence to ask, “Eren, you never did tell us what happened to you guys,” he was more than eager to respond.

“We went mountain biking in the Manoa Valley. The terrain was pretty tough and we sort of got lost.” “ Eren insisted we could ride it without a guide, even though the trail is listed as challenging and we’ve only been mountain biking twice before that.” Armin sounded resigned. “Sure, this was a bit more challenging, but I thought we did fine.” “We had to keep getting off our bikes because of how bad some sections were. Well, except for Mikasa.”

Eren opened his mouth to argue, when Ymir asked, “Okay, but how did you guys end up looking like _that_?” Now Armin sounded guilty, “I fell into a ravine and Eren and Mikasa had to come get me. It was pretty far down and the slopes were really muddy so we couldn’t get back up.” Eren rushed to continue the story, “That’s when we realized we had no idea where we were. We couldn’t call or use google maps since our phones were dead. So we pushed our bikes through the mud to where we hoped we’d eventually reach the bottom of the valley. We were lucky yesterday was a full moon, or we wouldn’t have been able to see a thing in the dark. We could still barely see where we were going, which is why it took us so long to get out.”

Mikasa finished by saying, “It was thanks to Armin that we managed to find our way to the bottom. He had studied the layout of the trail so he knew the way based on elevation. Once we hit the trail, he remembered key points along the path and was able to lead us to the end.” “Wow, that’s pretty impressive,” Connie commented, eyes wide and luminous in the dark. Everyone hummed in agreement. “Sounds like quite the adventure.”

“Yeah, that definitely explains the state you guys were in. Who knows how much bear shit you rolled around in.” Hearing the amusement in Jean’s voice, Eren had to physically keep himself from climbing down to smack him again, preferably with something harder than a pillow. “I don’t think bears live in the rainforest,” Sasha pointed out.

“I hope something like that doesn’t happen on our hike,” Krista said with worry. “With those steep cliffs, a fall would most likely kill you.” “Don’t worry Krista, we’ll be fine. And if something does happen, I’m sure we’ll get through it,” Ymir reassured her.

Eren turned onto his side and looked at his friends’ silhouettes in the dark. “Let’s make these next few days some of the best we’ve ever had together.” The silence that followed was filled with emotion. Excitement and fear of the hike to come. The joy of being together. But also a sadness that hung heavy in their hearts, because the future beyond the next four days was like a rapidly approaching thundercloud. And Eren was afraid that when it arrived, he’d lose his friends in the storm.


End file.
